Means for controlling the level of liquids.



No. 810,237. BATENTED JAN. 16, 1906,

. WKWADSWORTH. y I MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE LEVEL OF LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1905.

I I. I .IINVENTOH BY v 1 ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES WILLARD WADSWORTH, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY,

PATENT OFFICE.

"sicNoR TO WILLIAM B. WADSWORTH, OF PLAlNFlELl), NEW JERSEY.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I,W1LLARn WAnswoR'rH,

a citizen of the United States of America,

and a resident of Plainfield, county of Union, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Controlling the Level of Liquids, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, form,- in' a part thereof.

y invention relates to means for controlling the level of liquids, and particularly'to float-controlled means for this urpose.

' The usual method of contro 'ng the level of liquid in tanks is to provide a float-controlled valve for, the inlet, the supply th erefor being under constant pressure. It is i found in practice that it is exceedingly difliconstant cult with such an apparatus to hold the liquid in the tank at anything like an even level for many reasons. One reason is that while the pressure of he supply is theoretically (practically it varies within wide lnmts, an in so vaging the resistance to the buoyancy .of the oat varies. In an attempt to overcome the practical difficulties in the Way of maintaining a uniform level of the liquid intermediate mechanism has been employed which, by reason of its great deli cacy is itself subject to wide variations or by reason of'its. complication is impracticable for ordinary purposes.

'In my presentinvention I provide a float which directly controls inlet and exhaust valves for motive fluid, such as com ressed air. These inlet and exhaust valves ave a vary small movement indeed, infinitely smaller than the necessary movement of an an inch is all that is necessa inlet-valve for the liquid. The ca acity of these valves is indeed so small t at even were the pressure against the inlet-valve va- 'ried within far wider limits than is possible the eflect on the buoyancy ofthe float would be practically negligible, and the entire movement of the float of about one-eighth of 1 t d l far the compe e opemng an cos 9 t e o osite valves. The inlet and e fiiaust valv thus controlled are arran ed to control admission and exhaust of fluid underressure to and from a controlling-valve for t e pump which 1s provlded for e evating liquid-to the tank.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May 6, 1905. Serial No. 259,126.

' ratus embodying my A valve-casing 3 .der pressure, such By this means I am enabled to absolutely Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

control the level of the liquid less than an eighth of an inch, and that in an economical manner with the expenditure of but little power and at small cost.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will now describe an apparatus embodying my invention and will then point out thenovel features in claims.

The drawing herewith illustrates an appainvention, showing the tank and valve -mechanism directly controlled by the float in central vertical section and the other arts in side elevation. The tank, w hich ,maybe of any size and shape, is shown conventionally, being designated by the reference character 1, the line 2 2 designating the level of the liquid therein. is secured to the side of the tank and is rovided with inlet and exhaust valves 4 an 5. A pipe 6 supplies fluid unas compressed air, constantly from a source of supply, (not shown,) and a pipe 7 acts as a distributing-pipe to convey'such motive fluid as is permitted to pass the inlet-valve 4 when such valve is open and the exhaust-valve 5 is closed to a suitable motor or to return such motive fluid from the motor after the inlet-valve 4 is closed and the discharge-valve 5 is 0 en past the discharge-valve 5 to exhaust. T e valve 5 is provided with a stem which enga es the float-lever 8, ivoted at 9 and provide at its free end wit a float 10. Upward movement of the valves 4 and 5' is opposed by a spring 1 A pump for supplying the tank is shown at valve 13 being provided e supply of fluid-pressure thereto, such as steam. The valve 13 is operated by a fluid-pressure motor 14, fluidpressure for which is supplied by the aforesaid pipe 7.

' In operation the lowering of the level 2 2 of the liquid in the tank Will cause the float 10 to fall, which will effect the closing of the inlet-valve 4 and the opening of the dischargevalve 5, so that fluid under ressure from the motor'14 will-be discharge Thiswill open the valve 13, which willadmit steam to the power-pump 12, causing same to elevate water to the tank until finally the level of the tank is restored, when the exhaust-valve 5 will be closed and the inlet-valve 4 opened to 12, a controlhn for controlling t admit motive fluid from the pipe 6 through slight variations of the level of the tank is exceedingly positive in its action, butis not at all sensitive to any other" variations and conditions. The entire necessary move- V fluid to the pipe 6 or to the ment of the valves 4 and 5, which are directly engaged by the float, is so small as to stop or start the pump under very small variations in the level of the liquid, while extreme variations in the supply of motive pump through the valve 13 will have no effect in var ing the conditions under which the parts W" operate. V

What I claim is' 1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a float, and oppositel disposed inlet and exhaust valves direct engaged thereby,of a pump, a valve control ling motivefluid therefor, a fluid-pressure motor for said controlling-valve, and ducts controlled by said inlet and exhaust valves p for admitting fluid under pressure to said motor, and exhausting same therefrom.

pipe 7 to the fluid-pressure-motor 14,

'slte movements of the valves 2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a pump, a valve for controlling motive fluid therefor, and a fluidpressure motor'for said valve, of a float, in-

eluding a pivoted lever, and inlet and exhaust valves directly engaged by said floatlever, said inlet and exhaust valves arranged for admitting and exhausting fluid under pressure to and from said fluid pressure motor.

3. In apparatus of the combination with a ump, a controlling valve therefor, and a fl did-pressure motor 14 for said valve, of a float '10, a float-lever 8 ivoted at 9 to a valve-casing 3', inlet and exaust valves 4 and 5, in said casing, and having a stem extending therethrough and en gaging the float-lever 8, a spring 11, oppo- 4 and 5, and an inlet and distributing pipe 6 and 7 for controlling assage of motive fluid to and from 'the flui -pressure motor 14, substantially as .set forth.

' WILLARD Witnesses:

D. HOWARD HAYWOOD, T. S. ANDREWS, Jr.

WADSWORTH.

class described, the 

